This invention relates to an apparatus and method for setting up a conference call in a telecommunication network.
Many telephone network systems allow subscribers to establish conference calls with other network users. Thus allowing three or more users to participate in one phone conversation.
Typically a conference call is set up by the originating caller (the calling party) establishing a first call with one of the conference call participants. Once this call has been established the calling party then places a second call with another conference call participant. Once this second call has been established the calling party instructs the network to join the two calls so allowing the three participants to participate in one phone conversation. If there are further conference call participants this process is repeated until all participants are connected into the same conference call. Most current networks also require that established calls to conference call participants be placed on hold while further connections to participating parties are established.
The process for establishing each call varies depending upon which type of network the calling and called parties are connected too. Typically however the process involves inputting, manually or from memory, into the calling parties telephone the called telephone number. This number is transmitted from the calling telephone to the telecommunication network. In a wireless telecommunication network the user will usually instruct the radio telephone to transmit this number by pressing a xe2x80x98sendxe2x80x99 key. The telecommunication network then contacts the called party and if the called party is free establishes a connection between the called and calling parties.
For a user to place a call on hold using a radio telephone typically the user selects a xe2x80x98holdxe2x80x99 instruction displayed as a menu selection on the radio telephone""s display. For a wire line telephone the user typically manually inputs codes, for example a star key followed by a designated number. The telephone transmits these codes/instructions to the telecommunication network which then places the designated call on hold.
For a user to join two or more calls typically the user has to manually input codes into the telephone or select an instruction from a menu as described above. The telephone then transmits these codes/instructions to the telecommunication network which then joins the designated calls.
Therefore, to establish a conference call the calling party has to repeatedly perform three different manual tasks. First, input a telephone number into the telephone for transmission to the telecommunication network. Second, instruct the network to place established calls on hold. Third, instruct the network to join held calls with a newly established active call.
This process can be difficult and time consuming to perform. Even a conference call only involving a few participants requires the calling party to make many telephone key presses/selections; this increases the chance of a mistake which can result in, for example, lost connections and/or wrong numbers being dialled.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a telephone for setting up a conference call, the telephone comprising a memory for storing data relating to a first and second user; control means for retrieving said data from the memory and originating a call to the first user, the control means being responsive to a signal indicating that the first call has been established to originate a call to the second user.
This invention allows a conference call to be set up with minimum intervention from the calling party. So simplifying the process of setting up the conference call for the calling party. Once the user has selected the conference call function and designated a specific conference call group this invention allows the conference call to be set up without any further intervention from the calling party.
Preferably the control means requests that the call to the first user is placed on hold in response to a signal from indicating that the first call has been established.
Preferably the control means requests that the call to that the call to the first user is joined with the call to the second user in response to a signal indicating that the second call has been established.
Suitably the telephone further comprises a keypad wherein the request to place the call to the first user on hold is made in response to a key selection by a user.
Preferably the user data includes a user name and telephone number.
Preferably the stored data comprises a list of users linked to form a group.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, we provide a method of setting up a conference call, the method comprising retrieving data relating to a first and second user and establishing a call to the first user then establishing a call to the second user in response to a signal indicating that the first call has been established.
Preferably the first user is placed on hold in response to a signal indicating that the first call has been established.